Cleaning and polishing composition



Patented May 25, 1948 CLEANING: AND POLISHING COMPOSITION Herschel G.Smith, Wallingford, Mark L. Hill, Yeadon, and Troy L. Cantrell,Lansdowne, Pa., assignors to Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. ApplicationFebruai-y 15, 1946,Serial No. 648,010

2 Claims. (Cl. 252-166) This invention relates to new compositions ofmatter which are particularly useful for cleaning and polishing thecoated metal surfaces of automobile bodies and the like.

One object of this invention is to prepare a cleaner and polish whichwill readily remove various kinds of soil from coated metal surfaces. Afurther object of this invention is to manufacmm a, cleaner and polishwhich will not corrode the metal surfaces of cans in which it is stored.A still further object is to make a cleaner and polish which will imparta. pleasing appearance to surfaces to which it is applied. Other objectswill appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished in accordance with the present inventionby manufacturing a cleaner and polish which comprises an aqueousdispersion having a pH in the range of 6 to 8 and containing ahydrocarbon solvent and an abrasive powder dispersed in the water andalso containing a water-insoluble higher aliphatic amine salt of2-ethyl-hexyl, 3-methyl-but.vl ortho-phosphoric acid and a water-solublesalt of Z-ethyl-hexyl, 3-methyl-butyl ortho-phosphoric acid. Informulating such a dispersion, water is used in such quantities that itconstitutes at least half by wei ht of the final composition of thedispersion. The water assists in removing water-soluble soil from thecoated metal surfaces of an automobile or the like.

The hydrocarbon solvent which is dispersed in the water may be a lighthydrocarbon fraction such as Stoddard solvent although somewhat higheror lower boiling mineral oil fractions may be used if desired. Likewise,hydrocarbon solvents of the aromatic and alicyclic series such as benzenand cyclohexane may be employed. in lieu of or in addition to Stoddardsolvent. The hydrocarbon solvent functions in the prepared cleaner toaid in the removal from the coated metal surfaces of greases and similartypes of soil that are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents,

The abrasive powder that is dispersed in our new cleaning and polishingcomposition is usually powdered diatomaceous earth of about 325 mesh,although any suitable abrasive powder that will stay dispersed in watermay be used in its place. A colloidal clay such as bentonite may beadded to the dispersion along with the diatomaceous earth in order tohelp retain the diatomaceous earth in a dis ersed condition and keep itfrom settling out. The abrasive powder assists in mechanically removingsoil that adheres to the coated metal surfaces that are being cleaned.

In preparing the cleaning and polishing compositions of the presentinvention it is important to take care that the hydrogen ionconcentrations of the dispersions are not too high or too low. If thehydrogen ion concentration of the dispersion is too low, the polish willleave an easily Elli markable surface. On the other hand, if thehydrogen ion concentration is too high, the polished surface is notprotected from corrosion and any cracks in the paint surface areaccentually pictured. It is therefore necessary to maintain the pH ofthe dispersion somewhere in the range 6 to 8 and preferably about 7. ThepH of the dispersion can be suitably adjusted by adding small amounts ofsuitable acidic or alkaline substances such as trisodium phosphate,ammonium hydroxide or aluminum sulfate. The pH of the dispersion canobviously by suitably adjusted to a desired value by the addition ofsmall amounts of suitable buffer salts.

Various miscellaneous ingredients may be included in the cleaning andpolishing compositions of the present invention to accomplish certainparticular objectives. A scenting agent may be added toimpart thedesired odor to the composition. A dye may be added to impart thedesired color to the composition. Glycerine or ethylene glycol may beadded to the composition to lower its freezing point and to help retainthe proper moisture content upon the film of polish applied to asurface, A bactericide such as formaldehyde or phenol may be added tothe composition to stop any bacterial action that might otherwise occur.Gums such as gum tragacanth and gum acacia may be used in preparingthese dispersions to thicken them and thereby impede any breaking of thedispersions. Surface active agents such as sulfonated castor oil orisopropyl naphthalene sulfonate may also be used in preparing thesedispersions since surface active agents will function to stabilize thedispersion.

In order that the surface being cleaned will at the same time be coatedwith a thin water repellant film it is desirable to include a smallamount of a high viscosity mineral oil and/or a wax such as paraffinwax, carnauba wax or a synthetic wax in the composition of the cleaner.

Two of the more important ingredients of the cleaning and polishingcompositions of this invention are a water-insoluble higher aliphaticamine salt of 2-ethyl-hexyl, 3-methyl-butyl ortho-phosphoric acid and aWater-soluble salt of 2-ethyl hexyl, 3-methyl butyl ortho phosphoricacid, By the term higher aliphatic amine salt we intend to denote a saltprepared from a primary aliphatic amine containing at least 8 carbonatoms. Preferably these higher aliphatic amine salts are made fromprimary aliphatic amines containing from 10 to 18 carbon atoms such asthe normal primary decyl, dodecyl. tetradecyl, hexadecyl and octadecylamines. Mixtures of these amines may be used such as cocoamlne which isa commercial mi ture of higher aliphatic amines prepared from coconutoil fatty acids. Cocoamine contains a major amount of primary dodecylamine, and

typical samples thereof have been found to have average molecularweights ranging from 200 to 210. Among the various water-soluble saltsof 2- ethyl-hexyl, 3-methyl-butyl orth -phosph0ric acid which maybe'usedin these compositions there may be mentioned the sodium,potassium, ammonium, and substituted ammonium salts prepared from suchamines as -methyl amine, dimethyl amine, trimethyl amine, ethyl amine,

ethanol amine, diethanol amine, triethanol amine,,propano1 amine, etc.Both the water-insoluble higher ialiphatic amine salts and thewater-soluble salts oi Z-ethyl-hexyl, 3-methylbutyl ortho-phosphoricacid which are used in. the compositions of this invention function ascorrosion inhibitors, They prevent corrosion of the cans in which thecompositions of the present invention are packaged for commerce.

In preparing the cleaning and polishing com positions of the presentinvention the first step is to dissolve all of the water-solubleingredients except the bactericide in the water. Then while agitatingthe solution the powdered abrasive and colloidal clay are slowly addedthereto. Meanwhile all of the water-insoluble ingredients that aresoluble in the hydrocarbon solvent are dissolved in said solvent. Afterall of the powdered abrasive and colloidal clay have been added to thewater solution, the hydrocarbon solution of dissolved ingredients isslowly run into the water solution containing dispersed abrasivematerial while vigorously agitating the water solution in order to causethe hydrocarbon solvent to become emulsified in the water phase. Afterall of the hydrocarbon solvent has been added to the of 2-ethyl-hexyl,

hended by the present invention. 'These examples also indicate tolerablelimits within which the amount of any ingredient in the composition maybe varied. If the limit of any ingredient to be used is indicated to 'be"q. s., that means that only enough of this ingredient is to be used toproduce the desired efl'ect such as odor, color or pH. The preferredamount and tolerable limits of any ingredient are stated in thefollowing examples in terms of its percentage by weight of the entirecomposition.

Example I Tolerable Preferred ingredients Limits Amount A Water 52-7564. Glycerine 0-4 4. Formaldehyde, 40% solution 0. 15-0. 25 0. Sodiumsalt of Z-ethyl-hexyl, 3-methylbutyl ortho-phosphorle acid 0. 001-1. 00. Trlsodium phosphate q. s 0. Diatomaoeous earth, 325 mesh 3-20 10.Colloidal clay, 300mesh 0 1-i0.0 2. Stoddard solvent 5-20 9. Mineraloil, 50 S U; S. at F 5-15 7. Scouting agent q. s. 0. Cocoamine salt of2-ethyl-hexyl, a-methylbutyl ortho-phosphorlc acid 0. 001-1. 0 0.

The compositionofthis example has a specific Water 52-75 152Formaldehyde, 40% solution 0. 15-0. 25 0.

Sodium salt 0! il-ethyl-hexyl, B-methylbutyl ortho-phosphorlc acid. 0.001-1. 0 0. 200 Ammonium hydroxide q. s. 0. 023 Gum tragacanth-. 0.1-0.50.150 Sullonated caster o 0. 1-0. 5 0. 300 Diatomaoeons earth, 325 mesh3-7 5. 000 Colloidal clay, 300 mesh... 0 1-10. 0. 1. 000 S derd solvent4-.. 5-15 11. 800 Paraflln Type Naphths, B. R. 400-500 F. 2-10 8.000.Carnauba wax, No. 3N Country Refined. 1-4 2.000 Paraflln wax, melting at122 F 0. 5-2.0 1. 000 V. G. Synthetic wax 0. 5-1. 5 1.000Gasoline-soluble orange dye. q. s 0. 005 Scent 1 agent q. s 0. 020

C n 1 e salt of Z-ethyl-hexgl, a-methylbutyl ortho-phosplioric aci 0.001-1 0 0. 200

an amount suificient to assist in, removal of grease and otherhydrocarbon soluble soil, an abrasive powder-dispersed in the water inan amount sufflclent to assist in mechanically removing soil, and smallamounts, suflicient to inhibit corrosion, of a water-insoluble higheraliphatic amine salt 3-methyl-butyl ortho-phosphoric acid and awater-soluble salt of 2-ethylhexyl, 3-methyl-butyl ortho-phosphoricacid, said composition having a pH in the range 6 to 8.

2. A composition of matter suitable for cleaning the coated metalsurfaces of automobile bodies which comprises a major amount of water,Stoddard solvent dispersed in the water in an amount suillcient toassist in removal of grease and other hydrocarbon soluble soil, powdereddiatomaceous earth dispersed in the water in an amount sufllcient toassist in mechanically removing soil, and small amounts, suflicient tinhibit corrosion, of the cocoamine salt of2-ethylhexyl, 3-methyl-butyl.ortho phosphoric acid and the sodium salt of 2-ethyl-hexyl,3-methylbutyl ortho-phosphoric acid, said composition having a pH ofabout 7.

A HERscHIm G. SMITH.

MARK L. HILL. 'Ill'ltOY L. CAN-TRELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the v file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 212,439 Great Britain Mar. 13, 1924

